Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has renewed its promise for Zimbabwe’s economic transformation should the party ascend to power in next year’s general elections.
In an economic blueprint released by party national spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere following economic measures announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa last Saturday, Mahere said CCC will break the present ‘predatory’ order.
“The CCC will offer a break from the present predatory order and a bridge that will accelerate transformation and make Zimbabwe a stable, democratic and development-focused, modern nation. We will reshape Zimbabwe through the creation of a shared vision and a sustainable transitional framework that will be the foundation of transforming the structure of our economy, eliminating poverty and enabling the pursuit of sustained, equitable and shared growth.
“The new economic framework will be underpinned by a new governance culture and the creation of a consensus state. Core features of the new governance culture will include respect for the rule of law and constitutionalism, building strong, independent institutions, devolution and equal development, the creation of a rights-based society, eliminating corruption, infrastructure transformation and the development and urbanization of rural areas,” said Mahere
Among other measures, Mahere said the opposition movement will do away with the Zimbabwean currency and introduce the multiple currency regime.
“Zimbabwe has an ongoing currency-crisis that is adversely affecting the economy and resulting in irrational outcomes such as multi-tier pricing and a multi-tier foreign exchange rate. To resolve this, the CCC will adopt both short and long term measures. In the short-term, the CCC will immediately scrap the bond-note, return to the multiple-currency regime, rationalize the capital account, increase productivity, grow the national GDP in order to build substantive reserves for the country.
“We will also ring-fence USD bank balances to protect depositors against any further shocks. The CCC recognizes that in the long term, it is not sustainable for Zimbabwe to continue to use a basket of multiple currencies as legal tender. The CCC will promote a market-led, entrepreneurial society that is socially just and inclusive.
“This includes policy formulation that will deliberately take into account those who have previously had unequal access to opportunities by reason of gender, ethnicity, region, race and other points of disadvantage. We will do this mindful of the fact that creating opportunities requires the construction of a stable and growing economy. This also requires the state to ensure that there is adequate housing, a sustainable and clean environment, food and the realization of all socio-economic rights that will improve the daily life of all citizens,” she said
The country is currently going through a tough economic crisis that has seen prices of goods and services spiraling beyond the reach of ordinary citizens with the Government blaming the business community, accusing them of profiteering.
